A Classic Case of Irony
by IsabelleRose
Summary: Years after the end of the war, the Gundam Pilots have lost track of Heero. When Duo convinces Heero to attend their annual reunion, his complicated past is more than they bargained for.
1. Mystery Guest

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A Classic Case of Irony

**by IsabelleRose**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Mystery Guest**

Heero's attention was split three ways. His eyes shot back and forth from his babbling braided friend on the vidscreen to his latest blueprints to the angel sleeping on the couch. More often to the couch than the other two places, but nobody said it was split equally.

"Heero, are you listening?" Duo shouted, face close to the screen, breathing heavily.

"Hn."

"This place is absolutely gorgeous. Quatre and the entire Maguanac Corp spend all of thier vacations there and it's totally decked out," Duo elaborated, waving his arms to further sell the idea. "You just gotta see it yourself!"

Heero's eyes drifted back towards the sleeping figure.

"Heero!"

"When?" Heero asked, forcing Duo to skip the fluff and get down to the point.

"Uh.. April..9? 10? Hang on, Hilde wrote it down for me. Oh yeah, April 15th. We're planning on staying for a whole week- making the most of the BEAUTIFUL facilities!"

"Hn. I don't know..." This time his eyes fell on the blueprints he'd been working on before Duo's call had interrupted him. The design lacked something- something that Heero was obsessing over.

"You've skipped the reunion for the past three years, Heero. We miss you, buddy," Duo pleaded, cursing his friends mentally for delegating this task to him. He watched as Heero's attention shifted once more from the desk to something off screen that Duo couldn't see. Heero's eyes stayed focused on the distant object as he replied.

"I'll come, Duo, on one condition," came his cool reply.

"Really?! Anything!"

"I'm bringing someone with me."

"What?!"

"I'll see you in a few weeks, then." Heero disconnected, leaving his friend to gawk at a blank screen.

"Well, whadaya know," Duo muttered, scratching his braided head. "Hilde! Heero's got a girlfriend!"

* * *

Mid-April found Heero Yuy, somewhat reluctantly, on a flight to Earth with the dearest person in his life. He couldn't help but question what had possessed him to answer 'yes' to Duo. He sat stiffly in his seat as they cruised through the inky depths of space. The Perfect Soldier was nervous. He felt as if he was taking one of the greatest risks of his life. Dr. J would have laughed at him.

He had no idea how his friends would react. They would be astounded. They would have endless questions and pry mercilessly. Overall, though, would they accept or reject? Heero didn't look forward to the experience.

_Am I ready for this?_ He asked himself for the millionth time since they'd packed for the trip._ Are __**we?**_

A small hand in his caused him to break from his thoughts. A single glance into those clear, beautiful eyes was all it took to melt the Perfect Soldier's heart. Everything would somehow fall into place. Just a short drive now to Quatre's resort. They'd get there together- that was all that mattered.

* * *

"Who do you think he's bringing?" Duo asked again. Wufei shot him a warning glance and Quatre offered a patient smile. Gossip had engulfed Quatre's home all morning as the former Gundam pilots speculated on Heero's 'guest'. If Heero's private lifestyle hadn't been enough to raise suspicion, the fact that this reunion was a closed affair certainly added question. Only the pilots and their closest friends were allowed attendance. Who could be so close to Heero that he'd bring them here?

"I'm sure we'll find out once they arrive," Trowa cooly pointed out. It was no use wondering. Heero kept to himself just as much now as he had during the war. It hadn't always been that way. Just after the war Heero had seemed a changed person, but something happened. Without warning, Heero had drawn his head back into his shell and cut them all off again.

Quatre ran his family's company for mining resources on Earth and in space. Since the war, he had invested himself in philanthropy, zen gardens, and writing memiors. His business prospered, his love life was... involving... and he was happy. Quatre had no secrets.

Duo's life was an equally open book. He and Hilde had wasted little time in getting married. They continued their scrapping business with the added perk of a partnership with Winner Enterprises. Although not quite ready to start a family, the Maxwells were happy and certainly never left their friends out of the loop.

Wufei was a successful preventer, and while he didn't necessarily discuss all that went on in his life, it was fairly obvious that he was busy on missions with partner Sally Po almost constantly. Besides, Wufei didn't hide things from his friends- he valued integrity too much for that.

Trowa was a little harder to get news out of, but what he didn't say, Cathy went into elaborate detail about. The two of them had recently inherited the circus from the retiring manager and were living thier lives happily, too. Cathy was a wonderful gossip and Trowa couldn't keep a secret from the gang if he wanted to.

Heero, on the other hand, remained aloof. He and Relena had been good friends for the first few years following the war, and for a while they got news of him through her, but it seemed that even she had been shut out in the past three or so years. They all knew he was a brilliant engineer- he was in the news all the time for his inventions- but not even the media seemed to know where he lived or what he did in his free time.

"Did he say anything about her at _all_," Cathy pried, anxiously. Her auburn hair bounced fitfully as she snapped her attention towards Duo.

"Nothing," he related regretfully.

"Relena, wouldn't you know?" Hilde hoped.

"You know that Heero and I don't speak anymore," Relena bit back. There was bitterness in her tone. The others couldn't blame her. She'd been so in love with Heero.

"You're better off without him," Zechs intoned moodily from an overstuffed armchair on the opposite side of the room. All this talk was making him wish he'd declined the invitation.

"Nobody asked you, Milliardo," she sighed.

"It's been so long, though," Hilde tried to amend. "It would make sense for you to move on."

"Who's to say I haven't moved on?" her eyes were ablaze. The conversation flickered and died for a few painful moments.

"More tea, anyone?" Quatre attempted weakly. His friends jumped on the change in subject.

"Oh, yeah, definitely!"

"Is this a black tea?"

"Hand picked from the gardens here."

"You'll have to show me the recipe."

"I'm a coffee drinker, myself."

* * *

Heero took a deep, but subtle breath as he turned down the last road. An hour's drive hadn't been long enough to calm his nerves, and his passenger was getting anxious after all the travel, too. Green landscape seemed to melt away before him as he urged the vehicle forward, not really desiring to reach his destination.

"Are we-"

"Almost," he practically groaned. A short giggle met his reply, causing the corners of his mouth to perk up. Just for a moment. Then he saw the sign marking the entrance to the private resort. His heart leapt into his throat. The car came to a shaky halt. Heero put it in park and turned to his strength, his angel, his baby.

He pressed their foreheads together and allowed his breathing to steady again. His fingers brushed chestnut hair out of blue eyes, away from the soft forehead so he could press a loving kiss there.

"I love you," he murmured. The words resonated in his deep voice.

"Love you, too."

He put the car back into drive and continued the last stretch of his journey.

* * *

They watched with baited breath as Heero's car pulled up to the front door. They cursed the tinted windows of the rental. In awe, they watched him step out of the car, run his fingers through his hair, and move to help his special guest out of the car, too.

All their expectations whooshed up at once- beautiful, smart, kind, graceful, humorous, patient, exciting, wild, wonderful, friendly, perfect- and left them for good.

Nobody said a word as their eyes beheld not a gorgeous woman, but a _boy._ Heero Yuy's special someone was a boy.

* * *

**So I decided to take my fandom in a totally new direction with this little tale. I want to do something with Heero that isn't done often, but that's all I'll say for now. Enjoy as the plot thickens. **

**Izzy.**

**Ps. I don't own Gundam Wing. I think I'm obligated to say it.**


	2. Guest Revealed

**A Classic Case of Irony**

**by IsabelleRose**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Guest Revealed**

Heero shifted his weight carefully, fighter instincts kicking in. He noted the jaw-dropping shock that his so-called friends were enveloped in, and glared heavily at Duo, whom he deemed responsible for this mess. His arms pulled his baby a little closer, protectively. When he scanned the group for their reactions, he avoided meeting Relena's eyes. He would avoid it all week. Nobody had told him she'd be here.

Focus.

"I'd like you all to meet Gabriel," he stated. His deep voice didn't quite bridge the awkward silence. "Gabe, these are my friends."

Duo was the first to ask what everybody was dying to know.

"Is he your-?"

"Son," Heero finished with a smirk. "Yes." The little boy resting on Heero's hip, staring wide-eyed at the crowd, gave an unsure frown. The resemblance was unmistakable. Suddenly remembering their manners, everyone began to introduce themselves to the young Yuy at once. A clamor of voices filled the air, startling the small child, until Duo shouted above the din.

"Hold on! He's only... how old is he?"

"Almost four."

"He's only almost four! Slow it down, would you?"

Gabriel giggled at this curious stranger with snake-like hair. Heero smirked knowingly, ever watchful for the reactions of his peers. His son whispered a confidential "Down, Daddy!" into his ear, obviously trying not to squirm with excitement. Heero obediently set his son down. He watched proudly as Gabe approached Duo, hand outstretched.

"Mr. Duo, it's a pleasure," Gabe said as articulately as he could manage. He practiced this sort of thing with his dad at home. They were always traveling and meeting new people. Duo took the toddler's hand firmly and gave it an overzealous shake.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Gabriel."

"Gabe," he corrected, dismissing the formalities. A broad grin spread across his face at the unorthodox handshake.

"Just Gabe? Call me _Uncle_ Duo, then."

Introductions continued all around, more formally than the initial mad shouts. Wufei placed a hand on Heero's shoulder- his quiet congratulations and approval. Heero couldn't help but smile, relieved that his friends had indeed accepted both his role as a father and his beautiful son. Well, Zechs looked a little bit sceptical, but the two had a well-established respect for one another by now. As for Relena... well, what she thought didn't matter.

Gabriel finally stuck his hand out for the pretty blonde woman who had caught his eye right away.

"Gabriel Yuy. It's a pleasure," he told her with a grin. Her face was red as she knelt before him. He wondered if she was hot from having long hair. He made a note to ask his daddy later.

"Relena Peacecraft, terribly pleased to meet you," she responded in a soft voice, absolutely captivated by the child.

"You're that Minister!" Gabe cried excitedly, all manners completely forgotten. Relena jumped at the sudden outburst. "The Rice Corn Minister. Daddy says you have the most bestest job in the world and that I should look up to you all the time."

"Did he now?" Relena asked, taken aback by his enthusiasm. Her eyes seemed to act on their own accord, searching out the man in question.

"Yeah. AND he said-"

"Hey sport, you causing trouble?" Heero asked, scooping up the young blabbermouth. His voice was the same deep timbre as it had always been, but the smile playing across his lips gave it a different tone.

"No!"

"Good, let's get something to eat."

"Animal crackers?" Gabe asked hopefully, wrapping his arms around his father's neck and resting his head on the strong shoulder.

"Sure," Heero told him with a warm smile. They followed Quatre inside. Relena didn't move a muscle, too dumbstruck to even think.

* * *

"So Heero's a father," Duo mused aloud. He, Hilde, Trowa, and Cathy were seated around the dining room table rehashing what they had just learned, and letting their tea get cold.

"How did that happen?" Hilde asked softly, still a little bit in shock.

"Well," Cathy started, about to state the obvious.

"We all know _how_," Trowa intervened. They couldn't do anything but stare at one another. It just didn't add up, that's all.

"We could try asking _him_," Cathy decided. The others nodded somberly, but none of them was about to broach the subject with the man of stone and ice. Duo drummed his fingers against the oak surface.

"Poor Relena," Hilde breathed. There was another unanimous nod. "She really did care about him."

"Is Zechs with her now?" Trowa asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Duo sighed. "I don't think she took the news well."

"Relena loves children, though," Cathy pointed out, smiling.

"Yeah, but this is a lot to overcome. Chances are he's lost her trust for good," Duo predicted gloomily. There was no hope for the 'couple' now.

"They weren't on speaking terms as it was," Trowa reminded everyone. The conversation lapsed back into silence.

"Maybe she knew he had another woman?" Duo wondered aloud. Cathy shook her head at that.

"Either way, she didn't know he had a son. Did you see her face?"

"He could have warned her!" Hilde suddenly blurted out. "He didn't have to drop it on her out of nowhere!"

"He didn't know she'd be here," Trowa reasoned. "She hadn't been invited in the past when he attended."

"Still..." Hilde insisted weakly.

"It's just so sad to see her like this," Cathy explained. "She's always sparkling with life, but now it's like she's been snuffed out."

"Heero didn't come here to hurt anyone," Duo reminded them. "He came here because I begged him to come. We all wanted him here. We just didn't realize the impact it would have..."

"Should I leave?" Heero interrupted quietly. He stood leaning against the door frame, arms folded against his chest like the Heero they had all known during the war.

"No, buddy, we want you here!" Duo said- the first to recover from Heero's sudden appearance.

"I love Gabriel. I know it's difficult to grasp that I have a son, but he's mine and I'll never give him up," Heero said. His voice held more emotion than they'd ever heard in him before. He sounded ready to fight them over the point.

"Nobody would ask you to give him up!" Cathy insisted.

"We understand," Trowa added softly, a quirk of a smile rising in him. Heero relaxed visibly.

"But Relena-" Hilde interjected hurriedly.

"It's none of her concern," Heero cut off icily. His countenance clouded over, forming the face of the Perfect Soldier, so unlike this new 'Daddy' image they were becoming accustomed to.

"But Heero, she _loves_ you."

"She _loved_ me," he corrected darkly. Without another word, he turned his back on them and stormed away.

"I think it's a lost cause," Cathy whispered sadly as they watched his retreating form.

* * *

After storming away from his 'friends', Heero stood in the doorway to the room Quatre had set aside for him and Gabe. Quatre was in there now, getting to know Gabriel. He decided to silently watch the two interact before he made his presence known. His mood immediately softened at the sight of his smiling son, a smile found its way to his own lips, too. Gabe had Quatre helping him with the new jigsaw puzzle Heero had bought for the trip. Puzzles were Gabe's favorite pastime.

"Daddy said I'm the jigsaw master," Gabe told Quatre immodestly. Quatre smiled at the boast.

"Your daddy is quite the jigsaw master, himself," he replied. Gabe nodded grimly as he fit another piece into the frame they'd constructed. He didn't speak until the task was complete, then he looked excitedly at Quatre.

"I seen him do it SO fast!"

"Saw," Heero corrected automatically, blowing his cover.

"Hi Daddy!" the little boy exclaimed, waving his hand in greeting.

"Hey, stinky," Heero teased.

"I'm not stinky!" He stood up tall and put his hands on his hips indignantly.

"No?" Heero scooped the young boy up into his arms and nuzzled his nose into Gabriel's belly, causing a fit of giggles. "Guess you're right," he conceded. "You smell like a bed of roses. Don't you think so Quatre?"

"Hmmm," the blonde stood to take a huge whiff of the child. "I think lilacs, actually."

"I don't smell like no stinkin' flowers!" Gabe insisted, trying to wriggle free from his father's grasp. Heero tickled him into submission before planting his feet back on the floor, a mess of giggles.

"Alright, then, what have you and Uncle Quatre been up to?" Heero asked, crouching down to examine the puzzle more closely. Quatre beamed at the new title.

"We were working on my puzzle," Gabe explained, although that was obvious. "It's gonna be an octopus."

"I see," Heero smiled. "Good job!" Gabe glowed with his father's compliment. Heero ruffled the boy's short, chestnut hair affectionately. Quatre's heart filled with warmth from seeing so much love in Heero's eyes. There was a soft knock on the open door.

"Dinner is ready," Wufei informed them.

"Uncle Wufei!" Gabe exclaimed, springing to his feet again.

"Yes?"

"Can I have a piggy back ride?" There was a pause as Wufei's eyebrow rose an inch. Then with a small mock sigh, he bent down and allowed Gabriel to climb onto his back. "Yay!!"

"Don't hurt him, now," Heero said gravely, "Uncle Wufei isn't as spry as he used to be."

"Why you! Yuy, if your kid wasn't on my back right now, I'd show you a little justice."

"Why? Why Daddy? What does spry mean?"

"I'm just saying, Wufei is getting old," Heero continued, not bothering to keep a straight face. Quatre started to snicker as Wufei was forced to curb his rage in front of the small boy. His face was red with the effort of containing some rather foul language. Finally he took a deep breath, giving Heero a level glare.

"We'll settle this, Yuy. Don't think you'll get off that easy."

"Alright, how about a little friendly competition after dinner?" Heero suggested calmly.

"That sounds fun," Quatre piped up, "doesn't it, Gabe? Would you like to see your dad in action?"

"Oh, boy! Do it Uncle Wufei!"

"Alright, alright. You're going down, Yuy."

Heero let out a long happy laugh as the party headed towards the dining room for the dinner Wufei had prepared for them so graciously.

* * *

Dinner consisted of chicken parmesaen, mixed baked greens, and red potatoes in garlic sauce. Heero cut Gabe's chicken into bite sized pieces and was just reaching for his own first helping as Duo shoveled on his second.

"So I hear there's going to be some sort of challenge after dinner?" Cathy asked politely.

"Hn," Heero replied. Gabriel watched his father carefully, trying to mimic every motion.

"Hmmm," Gabe repeated to himself.

"So what'll it be, boys?" Cathy prodded, a loopy grin on her face.

"Obstacle course," Wufei informed her tersely, noting the smirk on Heero's face. "Don't get overconfident, Yuy!"

"You're really accepting that kind of challenge after all this time?" Trowa asked.

"Wufei's an active Preventer," Duo pointed out to Heero through a mouthful of potato.

"Don't underestimate me," Heero replied cooly. "Gabriel, stop fussing over your carrots. Just eat them."

"But Daddy!"

"No 'but's." And that was the final word on the matter. Heero could barely conceal the smile as he watched Gabe's antics. His face puckered up like a raisin with each bite he took of the offensive cooked vegetable. He reached over and ruffled his son's hair.

"Awww!" Cathy squealed, "Heero, you're such a cute parent!"

Heero felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as all eyes fell on him and his son. Gabriel noticed, too, but unlike his taciturn father, he loved being the center of attention. He grinned, glancing around at his audience. Then he noticed something from his booster seat that the others had overlooked.

"Rice Corn Minister, you haven't eaten _your_ vegetables, either. You _have_ to eat them. _You're _the Rice Corn Minister!"

It was true, Relena had hardly touched her meal at all. Nor had she spoken a word. Heero's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he took this in. Then he turned towards his son sternly.

"Gabriel Yuy, you know better than to disrespect others. Please apologize," his tone was stern.

"Sorry, Daddy." He hung his head in shame.

"Not to _me_," Heero sighed. Gabe raised his head, his eyes widening a little with realization.

"I'm sorry for picking on you about your vegetables, Rice Corn Minister," Gabe insisted. Relena's mouth hung open for a moment- as if she'd forgotten how to speak- before she closed it and started again.

"Not at all. You're father's right." She seemed to stumble over the word 'father'. "It's important to eat your vegetables."

Gabriel clearly hung on her every word. He apparently idolized her, but Relena didn't notice. She was too dazed from interacting with the boy. He dug into his carrots with renewed vigor, blissfully unaware of the discomfort surrounding him.

"So..." Duo intervened, saving the group from a painfully awkward silence. "Did you hear the one about the family of broccolli?"

"What?" Wufei demanded, already disliking where this was going.

"So, no? Great! Okay, once upon a time there lived a family of broccolli along the side of a road. Everything was going just dandy, but one day Papa Broccolli decided that the grass looked greener on the other side of the road, so they were going to pick up and move. This was a very dangerous task for the broccolli family because they were all near-sighted, therefore unable to see approaching cars."

"If they're near-sighted, how did they know the grass was greener on the other side?" Wufei scoffed.

"They're near-sighted, not color blind! Anyhow, Papa went first, and he made it across safely. So he called to Mama and she followed. No problems. Sister was next and she got across, too. Then brother crossed, and SMACK! He gets hit by an 18-wheeler! So, naturally, they rush him to the hospital. The whole family is pacing the waiting room floor, and finally the doctor comes out. He shakes his head and tells the family 'I have good news and bad news. The good news is your son is alive. The bad news is he's going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life."

Duo immediately burst into peals of laughter, completely taken with his own joke. Hilde could only roll her eyes, having heard it a million times. Heero smirked, Wufei crossed his arms, Cathy laughed openly, while Quatre chuckled appreciatively. Zechs looked like he seriously regretted hearing the joke.

"Daddy," Gabe said, tugging on Heero's sleeve," I don't get it."

"Don't worry, sport, it was a terrible joke."

"Oh, do you know any better ones, Mr. Perfect?" Duo demanded.

Heero gave a grim nod, turning his head to give his son a lighting-quick wink.

"Why did the Roman chicken cross the road?" Heero asked, knowing that few of the pilots would know what a Roman was- that was ancient history.

"Why?" Trowa wanted to know, obviously informed.

"She was afraid somebody would Caesar."

Trowa threw his head back and let out an appreciative laugh. Duo nudged Wufei as subtly as possible.

"Do you get it?" he asked.

"Yes," Wufei replied.

"Oh..."

"Don't know your history, Duo? Here's one for you. Why did the chicken cross the road?" Heero asked again.

"Why?"

"All events in the chicken's entire life are fixed in 4-dimensional space time and the chicken could not have done anything else at that time (as we see things from within ordinary experience) than what it did; the chicken crossed the road because the chicken's crossing the road has been part of the eternally fixed micro structure of the 4-d block universe from the moment of its creation."

That had Duo laughing. Tension was starting to drain away from the room.

"Daddy! Tell them the dentist one!"

"When's the best time to go to the dentist?" Heero obliged. He was met with blank stares.

" 2:30."

"GET IT?!" Gabe exclaimed. "2:30- _tooth hurty_." He seemed to think this was hilarious. Heero continued.

"Knock, knock," he initiated.

"Who's there?" Cathy continued.

"Boo."

"Boo who?"

"Don't cry, it's only a joke," he concluded in his sincerest tone. Once again, Gabriel was cracking up.

"What sort of brush do you use on a bee's hair?" he began again.

"Well?"

"A honeycomb," he chuckled, Gabriel still basking in the humor. The jokes continued.

"How do you mend a broken jack-o-lantern?"

"With a pumpkin patch."

"Where can you find an ocean without water?"

"On a map."

"What kind of trees sew?"

"Pine trees- they always have needles around."

Gabriel found every one of the jokes histerical, and his laughter bounced off the walls, permeating everyone else at the table.

"Tell them your favorite, Gabe," Heero encouraged. Gabe's face further lit up.

"What's pink and fuzzy?"

"What?" Cathy obliged.

"Pink fuzz!" Whether the joke was really humorous didn't matter, Gabriel's ear-piercing shrieks of laughter were enough to prompt laughter from all those present. The laughter snowballed from a giggle here, a chuckle there, to eyes streaming and everyone bent over with unrestrained mirth.

"This kid is too much!" Duo gasped, wiping tears from his eyes as everyone finally settled down. "Jeez, you trying to kill me?"

"He's not done," Heero informed him, a hint of pride in his voice.

"There's more?" Duo groaned.

"What's blue and fuzzy?" Gabe followed up, to prove his father's point.

"Blue fuzz?" Wufei suggested. Gabe shook his head delightedly.

"Pink fuzz holding it's breath! Get it?!" Once again, he burst into peels of highly contagious laughter which shook the room. Even Zechs was laughing. Someone snorted, which only contributed to the madness. Cathy fell sideways off her chair, Hilde and Trowa tried to help her stand but they were laughing too hard to be of any use, so the three ended up in a heap. Heero pulled his son into his arms, laughing with him happily.

Heero's laugh was a deep throated chuckle, one that reverberated through his chest and caused Gabriel to laugh harder. Heero's laughter softened into a loving smile as he kissed the top of his son's head and rested his chin there to watch the happy mess his friends had become.

As he gazed at the scene playing out before him, he noticed that Zechs too had regained control of himself. He also noticed that he and Zechs' attention had fallen upon the same thing- Relena. She had just risen stiffly from her chair, leaving the untouched meal where it sat on the table. With a graceful turn, she seemed to float from the room, although Heero could see the set in her shoulders and knew she was upset.

Zechs didn't watch his sister's retreat. Instead, upon noticing her movement, he let his eyes fall upon Heero in order to catch a glimpse of the former gundam pilot's reaction. Zechs was surprised by what he found there- bitterness and anger surfaced in Heero's hard eyes, his arms tightened around his precious child, and his jaw fell into the stubborn set that it had spent most of the war in. There was no pity there, no sympathy, certainly no love. Heero gazed after Relena with a distinct hatred. It got Zechs thinking.

_I need to talk to him,_Zechs decided. _There's just too much left unknown._

* * *

**_I took a risk by including that joke scene. While this story is going down the road of angst in the near future, I figure comic relief never hurted anyone. Some credit must be given to Laffy Taffy for a couple of those. :) _**

**_Let me know how you feel. Did you expect the guest to be his son? I know some of you did! _**

**_Review suggestions: Favorite part, least favorite part, character praise/complaint, suggestions, share your own joke, make a prediction, tell me what I did wrong/right! ANYTHING! Reviews help. Thanks!_**


	3. The Challenge

**A Classic Case of Irony**

**by IsabelleRose**

**Chapter 3: The Challenge**

**

* * *

**

In the aftermath of the laughter, Wufei and Duo helped to drag Hilde, Trowa, and Cathy off the floor, while Quatre began clearing away their dishes. Heero was crouched near the door, carefully examining his son's clothes for mess, when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Zechs. Their eyes met and Heero understood immediately.

"Take Gabe," Heero told Duo, leaving no room for argument. He ruffled his son's hair before following Zechs quietly out of the room. They traversed a narrow corridor for a short while, wordlessly, before Zechs opened a set of double doors and indicated that Heero should pass through. Heero stepped comfortably into the library as Zechs shut the doors behind them to give their conversation the necessary privacy. He settled down into a massive arm chair in a shadowed corner, while Heero preffered to lean against a bookcase, arms crossed, as usual. Neither was in a rush to speak, but they weren't avoiding the discussion.

Heero noted how Zechs sat perfectly still in the armchair, staring unabashed back at his former rival. He resisted a smirk at the older man's stubborn streak. Neither wished to be the first to look away, because neither was intimidated. Like Zechs, Heero was motionless. They let their individual thoughts occupy them for the time being, not desiring to share.

After several minutes of silently regarding one another, Zechs leaned foward, resting his elbows on his knees, hands draped casually between them.

"You and my sister used to be very close," he began, not bothering to beat around the bush. "What happened?"

"I have a son now."

"Yes," Zechs agreed. A long pause stretched between them, although neither of them was counting the minutes. Heero knew that Zechs intended to say more on the subject. "It doesn't explain the hatred in your eyes when you look at her, though."

"Why do you care?" Heero demanded softly, clearly unwilling to fork over the desired information.

"You loved her," Zechs stated with a simple shrug. Heero gave a short laugh at that.

"That was a mistake."

"Like your son?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Leave my son out of this or you'll wish you'd never returned from Mars, Zechs." He took a dangerous step forward and Zechs knew from the cold glint in Heero's eyes that he might not come out of that fight in one piece.

"I apologize. Heero, you know that I have the utmost respect for you," he placated honestly. More silence stretched between them. Heero's face was set in stone, every muscle in his body tense. Zechs watched and waited, wondering what Heero would reveal to him.

"What's done is done," Heero concluded, signalling the end of their conversation by turning his back on his old arch nemesis and leaving the room. Heero hadn't told him much, but Zechs was satisfied with what he had learned. The deep fury that consumed Heero made it clear. This wasn't about Heero having an illegitimate child. Surely that didn't help the current situation, but-

_Leave my son out of this...._

Something far more secret than the child itself was the key to Heero and Relena's fall-out. Zechs rose and crossed to the window, watching Heero striding across the lawn towards the obstacle course his friends had constructed after dinner. He vaguely wondered how long they had been in here talking... or not talking, really. Heero launched into a sprint as he caught sight of his son.

"Don't worry," Zechs assured from afar. "I'm not going to get invovled. This isn't my battle."

))))(((())(((())))((()))(((

Quatre's gardens were large and intricate, winding their way through the hilly landscape in florid glory. Duo stood atop one such hill with Gabe on his hip, sheilding his eyes against the sun as he surveyed their hard work. Yep, this obstacle course was a doozy. He patted himself on the back, mentally.

"What do you think?" Duo asked. Gabe let out a giggle of anticipation, rubbing his hands together with glee.

"Daddy's gonna win," he replied confidently.

Duo laughed and turned so the two of them could watch Heero's approach from the house. The man in question walked at a calm, steady pace. Even from the hilltop, Duo could tell that Heero's face was harder than it had been, but it softened at the sight of Gabriel waving madly. Heero launched into a sprint, his lean legs covering the ground at an impressive rate. In no time he was standing beside them.

"Don't over do it," Duo grinned. "You've got a difficult course ahead of you."

"Hn." He took his son back with a cocky smirk.

"What do you think?" Duo asked Heero this time. The former pilot 01 scanned the grounds briefly, taking it all in as quickly as possible.

"No problem," he answered, shifting his son to the opposite hip.

"Sure, sure," Duo muttered, "'No problem,' he says."

"Everything ready?" Trowa asked, coming up beside them. Cathy trailed behind him, looking incredibly excited.

"All set here," Duo answered, waving his hand out dramatically to gesture towards his section of the obstacle course.

"Good. Quatre's finished with his section, too. Ready, Heero?"

A curt nod.

"Gabe, Daddy's got to stretch," Heero told his son warmly, setting him on the ground.

"Oh! C'mon Gabe, let's get good seats," Cathy exclaimed, taking the little boy's hand and tugging him after her as she rushed towards the tallest hill, where several chairs had been set up. Heero dropped to the ground, stretching out his legs, then arms and back. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers.

"Equipment?" He asked, glancing at some of the more difficult obstacles.

"No way," Duo teased. Heero just shrugged.

"Don't need any, just faster with it."

The three headed down the slope towards the start point where Wufei waited impatiently. The course lay before them, plain as day to their well-trained eyes.

"So, first one to the finish wins," Duo told them, feeling the need to say something. "We're the judges, so no cheating, but basically anything goes."

Heero bounced lightly on his toes his wild hair flopping into his face as he turned his head to grin at Wufei. Wufei scowled back, but there was excitement in his eyes. the two refocused their attention on the course.

Up on the hill, the audience waited with baited breath for the event to begin. Relena stole a glance back at the building that Hilde had retrieved her from. The sun beat down on their necks and Gabriel squirmed uncomfortably next to Cathy.

"On your mark," Duo's voice exclaimed from the start line, "GO!"

"He forgot 'get set'!" Gabe protested.

"He's too impatient," Hilde laughed.

Heero and Wufei rocketed down the cobblestone path towards obstacle number one: a twelve foot hedge.

_This would be easier in zero gravity_, Heero mused with a silent laugh. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for a tool to aid him. Seeing nothing of use, he concentrated on the jump. The muscles in his legs bunched as he crouched, before springing upwards. His hands caught the upper branches of the leafy wall and he used his momentum to catapult himself over the top. Like a cat, Heero always landed on his feet.

Wufei had mastered the hedge, too, so the two of them continued their journey. A field of rose bushes met their eyes. The blossoms were in full bloom and there was no way they could simply storm through without causing regrettable damage.

Without a second thought, Heero dropped to his stomach and proceeded to crawl at the bases of the bushes.

"Yuy, you're out of your mind!" Wufei shouted. It was obvious to him that they were meant to go around this obstacle. He darted to his left and disappeared down the cobblestone path.

Heero was not deterred by Wufei's opinion. He worked steadily with his elbows to pull himself forward. The branches swept low and thorns lashed at him with every movement, but he knew the distance was bearable and continued to press onward. It wasn't too long before Heero was back on his feet, boots pounding the stone as he rapidly approached the next challenge.

Heero skidded to a halt as he reached an empty courtyard. He didn't buy it for a second. Eyes narrowed, he stooped to snatch up a stone before hurling it across the vacant space. Lasers shot out from every direction and disappeared after a moment. Heero recognized them as short-range dissapating lasers.

Several more stones went flying through the air. Heero observed the patterns carefully. Finally satisfied with the data he'd acquired, he bolted headlong into the frenzy.

Relena's knuckles tightened on the bench as one of the searing lasers hit Heero in the shoulder, but he didn't flinch.

"He did that on purpose," Duo muttered quietly, obviously trying to keep Gabriel from hearing.

"Why?" Relena asked, horrified. Duo shrugged and turned his attention back to the action.

"Those are short-range dissapating lasers. After a certain distance, they fade and eventually disappear altogether. The laser that struck him was relatively close to its dissapation point, so it probably didn't seem worth dodging to him. Don't get me wrong, that probably hurt like hell, but it's nothing Heero can't handle."

"Uncle Duo," Gabe interrupted, leaving Cathy's side and moving towards Duo. "Did you see how cool Daddy is?" The little boy climbed into Duo's lap with a grin.

"Sure did!" Duo answered, ruffling the boy's hair.

Heero was past the lasers now, quickly approaching a reflecting pool. The pool was clear and void of all life. The still water provided the perfect setting for observing the heavens . Today, however, Heero could tell the water was different. An odd sheen coated the surface and obscured the reflective qualities. His suspicions were confirmed when the pool of water transformed into a field of flame.

"Duo," he growled under his breath. The man was unquestionably responsible for this prank. The stone courtyard in which he stood was encompassed by a towering stone wall which came to the very edge of the reflecting pool. Having no room to skirt the edges of the pond, Heero was only left with the option of scaling the wall.

The shallow grooves between the stones offered little in the way of footholds, but Heero managed to get to the top in an impressive amount of time. Once he had hauled himself to the top, he sprinted across the unsteady surface to the opposite end and sprang to the ground once more. Sweat beaded on his forehead from the heat of the flames, further encouraging him to continue.

For a while, the path he chose did nothing but wind aimlessly through the garden. The path veered off every few feet, splitting of in complicated forks. He had a clear vision of which path to take, never hesitating at a turn. Heero was sick of the sight of hedge by the time he reached a clearing. He was met by two things, both of which irritated him: another pool, and a dead end. A split second of analysis revealed an underwater passage way as his only means of escape.

Heero weighed his options before peeling his shirt off and diving into the cool water. The passage was small and manuevering would be difficult once inside, but Heero didn't hesitate. As he proceeded through the tunnel, all light faded to black. The darkness seemed to stretch on for ages. His lungs were beginning to protest, but just as he began to consider going back, a light appeared ahead.

Heero's lungs were screaming for air by the time he reached the surface. He wasn't sure how many minutes he'd been without breath. He hauled himself out of the pool and allowed himself a few moments to recover before he was back on his feet.

The path leading away from the pool was marked "wet paint". Heero growled his displeasure, noting the long trelis that covered the path and understanding what he had to do. His hands latched securely to the wooden structure. He made his progress like a child on monkey bars, one hand shooting forward and hauling the rest of his body with it before the next hand shot out and did the same. After several hundred feet, he was able to drop to the ground again. His feet flew forward, not stopping to consider the flaming hoops before he was leaping through them.

Heero didn't stop to consider the deep hole in the ground that blocked his path. He flung himself across the gap and rolled safely out of his jump on the other side. There was no loss of momentum as he continued forward through a winding path dotted with lillies of every variety. He found himself running uphill and down over and over again.

A pit of quicksand appeared at the edge of his vision. He had a plan before he'd even reached it. Dropping to his stomach once again, he covered his face with his hands and rolled across the expanse in a log-like fashion. It took little effort to raise himself up on the other side and continue down his chosen path.

He wasn't happy to come across yet another body of water, especially once he noticed that this pool was infested with eels. With a growl, he dove into the dangerous waters. He kicked hard, propelling himself forward as well as dispelling any predators that attempted to take a peice of his leg. He barely managed to get through unharmed. He hauled himself out of the pool, shuddering at the thought of the eels' slimy bodies.

He was cut, burnt, wet, and dirty, but the end was near.

The clearing at the edge of the garden was beautiful. A brook bubbled its way through the lawn, tumbling down a waterfall before continuing on its way. Wildflowers swayed in the breeze, dotting a path that lead to a fountain that tinkled merrily into a shallow pool. Heero stooped to examine a pattern of stones laid out in the grass at his feet. They spelled out a coded message, but it took him only moments to decode it: The first to construct a bow and arrow and fire the arrow into the air, wins.

Heero immediately went to work finding his supplies. The rocks around the waterfall were shale. It didn't take long to find a sliver that was sturdy but sharp and pointed. Long prarie grass would serve as string to secure the arrowhead to the arrow and to notch his bow. The wood for the bow was somewhat difficult to find, since the orchard at the edge of the glade was mostly gnarled, but a willow tree guarded the brooke in the distance and that wood would suffice.

Wufei burst into the clearing and followed the same course of action as Heero, although not necessarily using all the same materials. Their bow and arrows were rough, to say the least, but Wufei and Heero both managed to lean back and shoot their arrows into the sky- unfortunately, at the very same moment.

"Brilliant," Duo smacked himself in the head. "Now what?"

"Tie-breaker," Trowa answered simply. He indicated that the other Gundam pilots follow him. Duo stood, lifting Gabe from his lap and absentmindedly handing him to Relena before dashing away.

Relena turned red as Gabe smiled up at her, settling into her lap.

"Isn't Daddy cool?" Gabe asked enthusiastically. Relena gave a weak smile in response.

"Watch the tie-breaker, Gabe," Hilde rescued.

"Okay, okay! So a finish line would have been better," Duo admitted, "But we can't go back. So would you quit the yapping already?" Wufei glared at Duo once more, but decided to lay off for the moment.

"So what's the tie-breaker?" he asked instead. He bent to examine the spot on his leg where an eel had bit him.

"Simple," Trowa stated. "You both shoot an apple off somebody's head."

"Who's head?" Duo asked. Eyes turned towards him.

"Oh, no!" he protested. "That's craziness! They just built those arrows! They aren't reliable!"

"I'll go, too," Quatre offered.

))))(((())(((())))((()))(((

Relena and Gabe watched as apples were plucked from the orchard and set atop Duo and Quatre's heads. Gabe tugged Relena's sleeve anxiously.

"What if Daddy or Uncle Wufei misses?" he asked, eyes wide. "I like Uncle Duo and Uncle Quatre." It was the first time Relena had seen Gabe's faith in his father waver. Cathy spoke up with a grin.

"Uncle Wufei teaches an archery class," she confided. "Quatre's in the clear."

Gabe pouted and looked down at his father, who was his greatest hero.

"What about Daddy?" he asked in a very small voice. Neither Hilde nor Cathy really knew the answer. They looked at one another helplessly before each opening their mouths to give a hurried response. Relena gave Gabe a comforting squeeze and spoke up instead.

"Your daddy has excellent aim," she assured. "He never misses."

Gabe's face lit up again. Relena bit her lip distractedly, her eyes a little glazed with far off memories. Gabriel linked his hand in hers as Heero and Wufei notched their bows. Despite their confidence, the group jolted in unison as the arrows whistled through the air and struck their respective apples. An appropriate, relieved applause followed.

"Who wins?" Cathy asked at the edge of her seat. All five of the Gundam pilots were gathered around the two apples.

"Let's go down and see," Hilde suggested. The others nodded and started carefully down the grassy slope. Gabriel still clung to Relena's hand for support. She didn't notice the contact, sucked into her memories like a black hole. As they drew near the pilots, laughter became evident. Gabe relinquished Relena's hand and dashed forward, eager to be a part of the fun.

"Daddy!" he squealed, "Did you win?" With a huge grin, Heero turned and lifted his son into his arms.

"Yes. I won," he answered with a smug laugh. Wufei scowled and the pilots laughed once more.

"What happened?" Cathy asked, catching up with the toddler. Trowa held forth two apples. One was neatly split in two, the other looked a little battered, but remained in one piece.

"Wufei's arrow shattered upon impact," he explained. Duo could be heard snickering in the background.

"When you make an arrow under a time constraint with a garden for a supply base, _something_ has to be compromised!" Wufei defended. He turned to glare at Heero. Heero just shrugged.

"If you were still young and spry," Heero began. The look on Wufei's face caused him to stop in his tracks, opting for laughter instead of insult.

"Daddy," Gabe called. "You lost your shirt!"

"It was ruined anyhow," Heero pointed out spinning in a swift circle and getting a surprised squeak out of his son.

"You need a bath!" Gabe further declared, plugging his nose to illustrate his point.

"Say that again!" Heero challenged, tipping Gabriel upside down and shaking him playfully until the child was lost in a fit of giggles. "What did you say?" Heero demanded again in a teasing voice.

"YOU STINK!" Gabe shouted, laughing.

"Alright," Heero agreed, righting his son. "Let's go take our baths and go to bed."

"No bed!" Gabe pleaded. Heero laughed, tossing the boy over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and sprinting up the hill. The pilots and company watched the laughing boy and his father disappear in the direction of the house, Gabe's squeals reaching their ears even after he was out of sight.

"You didn't let him win on purpose, did you?" Cathy prodded with a foolish grin plastered on her face. Wufei growled.

"There would be no honor in that, woman. He beat me fair and square. Try not to rub it in."

"I'm glad he won," Quatre said kindly. "For Gabriel's sake. I'm glad they came."

Hilde, Duo, Trowa, and Cathy all exchanged a guilty look. They hadn't told Quatre about what Heero had overheard them discussing. He recognized the way they avoided his eyes immediately.

"You didn't say anything, did you?" he hoped.

"Well..." Duo began. Hilde interupted him, without even meaning to change the subject.

"Where's Relena," she exclaimed. They all froze. Relena had slipped away again without their noticing. Hilde's face darkened. "This is very hard for her, isn't it?"

"I think so," Quatre answered sadly. They looked at one another, their good moods suddenly ruined. What in the earth sphere had happened between them...?

* * *

**Sorry for the long delay. My laptop was stolen- with it, all of my writing. It's taken a while for me to rehabilitate myself. Please review. I could use the encouragement. ;)**

**Later-**

**Izzy**


	4. Many Questions

**A Classic Case of Irony**

**by IsabelleRose**

**

* * *

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**Chapter 4: Many Questions**

Heero carefully dried his son down with a large, fluffy towel provided by Quatre. Gabe squealed as Heero covered his head with the towel and scrubbed vigorously, imitating a machine-like sound. Satisfied that his son was sufficiently dry, he scooped him up into his arms. He spun him around until Gabe shrieked "I'm dizzy, Daddy!" before he plopped him gently on the bed. Gabe scooted into a sitting position as his father bent to tuck him in.

"I want a story," he insisted.

"What do you want to read?" Heero asked, sitting next to Gabriel, already anticipating this. He hefted a bag of his son's favorite books onto the bed with him.

"Pinocchio!" the boy declared. Heero smiled. It was only natural for Gabe to love that one. Heero understood perfectly. After all, it was a story about a boy and his father- no mother to complicate things and intrude on their perfect world. Just how they preferred it. Heero read the story to Gabe gladly. They discussed the many pictures and Gabe read some of his favorite parts. He was only just beginning to read, but he knew most of the words by heart. By the time the story was finished, Gabriel was yawning and rubbing his eyes, a lopsided grin on his face.

"I like that one," he mumbled. Heero stooped to kiss his forehead.

"Me, too."

Child asleep, lights out, and door shut- Heero's mind was at ease. He breathed a sigh of mixed-emotions as Duo's figure appeared before him.

"We're having drinks in the music room," his outgoing friend revealed. "Care to join?"

"Don't drink," Heero stated. Duo shrugged.

"Me neither," he admitted. "I hear Quatre has a wicked collection of mineral waters, though."

They headed down the ornate hallway together. Duo glanced sideways at Heero and noticed the small smile that dominated his features.

"Is the runt sleeping?" he prodded. Heero nodded.

"We read a book. That always takes it right out of him."

"Can you imagine if reading had put us to sleep?" Duo laughed. He thought back to all the training he'd undergone, all the reports he'd been constantly keeping track of, and all the knowledge he'd had to acquire. "I'm glad he's growing up in this world, not the one we grew up in."

"Makes it all worth it," Heero agreed.

"Do you ever plan on telling him?" Duo asked. Heero didn't answer right away so Duo continued. "Hilde and I want kids, you know. Not now, but in the next few years, we figure. So, we've talked about it, you know? How should we raise them? What should we tell them, and when? It's way more complicated than just telling them the old stork story. I don't know if I'd want my kids to know who I had been…. How about career day at school? "Hey Jimmy, what does your dad do?" "Oh, you know, he's the ex-God of Death. Now he just scraps metal. We're filthy rich, but I'm not sure why." I don't think that would go over well."

"I haven't decided," Heero responded quietly. It was certainly something he'd given a lot of thought to, among other things. Being a single parent was hard enough, but with a history like his….

They reached the music room. The floor was a colorful array of mosaic tiles. Instruments lounged in every corner. A Grande piano stood near massive glass doors that opened into the garden. Several plants had come to reside indoors, and these were decorated with string lights. The room glowed softly in a romantic way. Quatre was at the piano, playing something beautiful. Trowa stood at his side, accompanying him on the flute. Wufei, Cathy, and Hilde were talking by the bar. Duo and Heero joined them.

"Hey babe," Duo greeted, kissing his wife on the cheek. "I completed my mission."

"I see that," Hilde giggled, tickling him.

"Where's Gabe?" Cathy chirped.

"Sleeping," Heero informed her. She grinned.

"He's just SO cute, Heero. I would have never expected a cutie from you."

Heero raised an eyebrow in mock offense, but Cathy didn't notice. She clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Trowa!" she exclaimed. "Trowa, Quatre, you just HAVE to play "Cutie" for me!"

"I can't play it and dance at the same time, Cathy," Trowa pointed out. Quatre stopped their duet and put his hands in his lap. They waited for her to decide.

"Wufei," Cathy said determinedly, "dance with me."

"Hold on just a moment, woman!"

"Don't give me that 'woman' crap! You dance with Sally. Therefore, you'll dance with me."

Leaving no room for argument, Cathy grabbed Wufei by the arm and dragged him into the center of the room. "Cutie" ended up being an upbeat tune with very complicated dance steps. Trowa had to abandon his instrument to help Cathy instruct Wufei. Hilde decided that she and Duo ought to learn it, too, so she bullied him over.

Quatre gave a small inclination of his head, gesturing for Heero to come join him. So Heero crossed to the piano to talk to the blonde ex-pilot.

"Is Gabe sleeping?" Quatre asked with a smile. Heero nodded. "He's really beautiful."

"I know," Heero said proudly.

"It really shows that you care about him," Quatre pointed out.

"I don't think I could hide it if I tried," Heero said. He leaned against the piano. Quatre thought that he looked tired.

"It must have been so hard raising him on your own," Quatre commented, his fingers dancing across the keys as quickly as their friends' feet.

"Harder than anything we faced during the wars," Heero admitted quietly, slumping a bit further. Quatre gave him a knowing look. Heero had always suspected that Quatre could see into his very soul. He wondered how many of his secrets were open to the mysterious man before him.

"You've done very well."

"I was always a quick learner," Heero said dryly.

"Were you always alone?"

"From the day he was born," Heero confirmed. His face darkened. Quatre skirted the topic for the time being.

"So, besides raising Gabriel, what have you been up to?"

"Traveling a lot. I do a lot of work in the colonies. I'm an engineer, now. Figured I'd put some of my training to work."

"Oh, that's right," Quatre smiled, although Heero was sure he already knew. He didn't speak as he bent over the piano for a vicious section of the piece. Heero watched their friends struggling to master the steps of the complicated dance. Trowa and Cathy were demonstrating expertly.

"They're very good," Quatre said, watching Heero's rapt attention. "Do you dance, Heero?"

"No," Heero said harshly. Quatre raised an eyebrow. "Sorry."

"I saw an article in _Inventor's Monthly_ about your rotator generator. It's designed to keep a colony on track in case of any disturbances or main power failure. It also increases the efficiency of the rotation machinery, correct?" Quatre asked, easily sidestepping uncomfortable conversation.

"Yes," Heero replied, knowing that Quatre had done his research.

"It uses some of the technology from the Zero system, doesn't it? That's what makes it impossible to hack and makes it one hundred percent effective in correcting any orbital blunders, right?"

"Yes," Heero said, this time with a smile. He decided to make the inquisition easier on Quatre. "And, yes, I did it to prevent anyone from carrying out a successful Operation Meteor anytime in the future. Since no person in this day besides ourselves even knows the technology exists, it's safe."

"We're all still doing our part, aren't we?" Quatre asked. Heero nodded and they both turned back to their friends.

"Trowa and Cathy donate half of the circus' profits to veterans, don't they?" Heero questioned.

"Yes. They always have free shows for veterans during the holidays, too," Quatre confirmed. "You know, Duo is probably the biggest fan of your mobile suit technology disposal device. He said it was the best Christmas present he's ever received. You should have seen him when we told him you invented it."

"It was for him," Heero said confidentially. Quatre grinned. He'd suspected as much all along. "I knew he'd been having trouble with disposal. You can't just melt all the chips and units down, and if they fell into the wrong hands, they'd be means for an army."

"Why did you remain anonymous for all of this?" Quatre wanted to know as he started the song again. Their friends were picking up on the steps.

"For Gabe's sake. I wanted him to have a normal life. He doesn't know we're rich, he just knows we're happy. Plus, I needed time out of the spotlight, after…."

"After everything," Quatre finished. He understood perfectly. Heero had been close to Relena after the war. He'd briefly served as her bodyguard, but quickly been hooked into her technology team. He still escorted her to almost every public event and they'd been constantly within the public eye. Everyone thought they were getting married, but Relena had the world to look out for and Heero had other interests.

"Heero, come have a drink! I can't dance anymore," Duo called from the bar. Heero straightened from where he still leaned against the piano.

"Heero," Quatre said quietly. Heero paused to listen. "None of us knows what happened. I just want you to know that if you need to talk about it, I'm here. Don't feel pressured, though. We didn't ask you here to force you into anything."

Heero silently considered his friend's words. "Thanks, Quatre."

"Quatre!" Cathy called. "Wufei's all worn out. Dance with me. Trowa can play for a while."

Trowa strode over to the piano, totally unfazed by the fast-paced workout.

"I feel like an old man," Duo complained loudly. Hilde laughed, gently rubbing his shoulders. Heero joined them.

"Heero, buddy," Duo began. "You left me for the sharks out there."

"Your spin needs a little work," Heero commented dryly.

"I _told_ you," Hilde said. She turned to Heero. "Isn't it too quick? I get whiplash."

"Aww, c'mon Hilde. I'm not always that quick!" He winked at her cheekily.

"_Duo!"_

"Didn't you say Quatre had fancy mineral waters?" Heero quickly diverted as Hilde went dangerously red in the face. Duo ducked behind the bar to retrieve some water and duck a blow from his wife.

"Wufei, join us," Duo called, popping the lids off four glass bottles. Wufei, wiping his brow, sat on a stool.

"If Cathy comes back this way, pretend that I've just died," Wufei groaned. "I'm not made for that sort of exercise. That woman is crazy."

"This water is really crisp," Hilde commented taking another sip.

"After that, anything would be refreshing," Duo pointed out. They all turned to watch Quatre spin Cathy with finesse. She cackled in the most unsettling way as he dipped her.

"What amazes me is that a woman can outlast me," Wufei mused. He watched her with a sort of fearful fascination.

"Yeah, it's crazy what a girl can do. Hilde wears these heels that she claims kill her feet whenever we go out, but she won't take them off. They're all masochists!" Duo piped up.

"Duo!" Hilde launched herself across the bar to strangle her husband.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, babe! A lot of girls like it rough. It's no big deal!"

"What is wrong with you? Can't you keep your mouth shut?"

"What's wrong with me? Nothing! Except for my spins, apparently."

"Well, I felt like I was leaving the atmosphere!"

"Who says that's a bad thing? I thought you liked that feeling!"

"Not while I'm dancing."

While Duo and Hilde bickered about the finer points of dancing versus trips to outer space, Heero stood sipping his water thoughtfully. He watched the intertwined forms of Quatre and Cathy make their intricate way around the floor.

"Something on your mind, Yuy?" Wufei asked, noting his friend's silence.

"No," Heero lied, shaking the glazed look from his eyes. Wufei scowled. He wasn't blind.

"Who was she?"

"Who was who?"

"The woman you were just thinking about," Wufei insisted. Duo stopped fighting with Hilde to listen in.

"There are no women in my life," Heero ground out.

"I saw the look in your eye just now," Wufei told him obstinately. "You were remembering something. Unless you've danced with many men, I'm going to have to guess it was a woman."

"I don't dance with anyone."

"Ah, but that doesn't mean you never have."

"Did you ever dance with Relena?" Hilde asked. Heero turned on her, eyes so hard that Duo stepped between them. Hilde was unabashed. "You did. I know you escorted her to loads of fancy balls right after the war, didn't he, Duo?"

"Babe, let's not get into that. If Heero says he didn't dance with her-"

"If not Relena, then Gabe's mother?" Hilde pressed. The Gundam pilots saw Heero's fist clenching at his side, his grip on the water in his hand tightened.

"Hilde," Wufei attempted.

"I don't see what the harm in asking is! Really, you'd think he's a time bomb. For all we know, Heero had a love affair with a ballroom dancer. If you don't ask him, how in all the sphere will we know why he disappeared these past three or four years?"

"Stop," Heero snarled at her.

"Who do you think you are?" Hilde demanded. "You think that just because you're the Perfect Soldier you can go around using people and hurting people and pushing them aside?

Heero smashed his bottle against the bar and strode out of the room. The music stopped and Cathy and Quatre halted. Water dripped onto the floor. The door slammed behind Heero. Hilde slumped against Duo, teary-eyed.

"Hilde, babe," Duo began. "Give him a break. He's got skeletons in his closet."

"So what? Don't we all? Don't we?" She turned to face them all, crying openly. "He hurt Relena and I think we deserve to know why."

"It's not our business," Quatre told her.

"Why aren't you harassing Relena for the answers?" Wufei countered.

"She's been hurt enough!" Hilde shouted.

"So has he! Can't you see that?" Wufei defended.

"Sure, take his side," she wailed. Hilde punched her husband in the chest, releasing herself from the gentle grip he had on her shoulders. Shoving her water into his hands, she ran out of the room.

"Great!" Duo growled, shoving the water at Wufei and pounding after her. Cathy threw a glare at Wufei.

"What did you have to say that for?" she demanded.

"Me? It was Hilde that brought up both Relena and Gabe's mom in the same breath!"

"How can you blame her? She meant well!"

"She may have meant well," Quatre said softly, "but I just promised Heero that we wouldn't pressure him for information about his past."

"How was she supposed to know that?" Cathy cried. "You men just want to point a finger." She stormed out of the room. Trowa rose from his place on the piano bench.

"This is going to take all night to fix," he predicted dismally. "I'll see you in the morning. Somebody better make coffee."

"I'm sorry, Wufei," Quatre murmured when they were the only two left in the room.

"I don't know how this is your fault," Wufei grumbled. "I'm the one that pried."

"I should have-"

"Stop blaming yourself!" Wufei shouted. He left all the bottles on the bar and left Quatre standing alone in the room. His blonde hair fell into his eyes as he hung his head.

"This isn't exactly how I wanted things to go," he murmured to himself. He dimmed the lights and shut the door behind him, broken glass and half-drunk bottles forgotten.

* * *

Breakfast was tense. Trowa looked as if he had indeed pulled an all-nighter. He drank coffee like water and barely touched his toast. Cathy skipped breakfast altogether. Relena stepped into the room, snatched an orange from the fruit bowl, and disappeared again. Hilde seemed to be angry with everyone in the room. Duo ate all the eggs and toast that were untouched by everyone else, seemingly using the excuse of stuffing his face to avoid conversation. Wufei scowled at his coffee mug, not drinking it or eating anything. Zechs sat by himself, flipping through the paper. He didn't need to ask to know that something had happened. Heero walked in with Gabe on his hip. He took one look around and bypassed the dining room for the kitchen. Quatre looked up as they came in.

"Good morning," he said, putting on an unconvincing smile.

"Hn," Heero answered. "Didn't sleep well?"

"After you left, cat fights broke out and now everyone is mad at one another," Quatre explained, dropping the grin.

"You have cats, Uncle Quatre?" Gabe asked. Quatre turned to him with a sincere smile this time.

"No, do you like them?"

"I love animals!" Gabe exclaimed.

"I have fish," Quatre offered.

"Goldfish?"

"Bigger. Koi."

"Can I see them?" Gabe asked skeptically.

"Sure!" Quatre agreed.

"Let's go!"

"Gabriel," Heero said sternly. "Breakfast."

"Okay, Daddy."

"Would you like eggs?" Quatre asked.

"Gabe would," Heero said, sitting the little boy on a stool at the kitchen counter. He settled on an orange for himself.

"Not a breakfast person?" Quatre grinned.

"My appetite never really came back," Heero admitted. Quatre nodded in understanding.

"Neither did mine."

"Daddy always says that a good breakfast will help me grow up big and strong," Gabe said knowledgably from his seat. "Daddy doesn't need as much food cause he's already big and strong!"

Quatre laughed and heaped some scrambled eggs onto the boy's plate.

"Orange juice or milk?"

"Orange juice!"

As it turned out, breakfast in the kitchen was much more cheerful than breakfast in the dining room.

After Heero had helped Quatre take care of the dishes, the three went out to the gardens. Heero and Quatre walked on either side of Gabe, each holding a small hand in their own. They swung him above the path as he jumped. Quatre pointed out all the different plants, giving their names and a short history.

"This is foxglove, or _digitalis_. It's native to Eurasia and Africa. An extract from it was used to treat patients with heart conditions many, many years ago. Since then, more effective medicines have been developed. It can also be poisonous."

"What's that?" Gabe asked, pointing at a plant that climbed over the stone walls.

"Common Ivy. _Hedera_."

"Where are the fish?"

"We'll find them sooner if you stop asking Uncle Quatre questions, sport," Heero chuckled, ruffling his son's hair.

"Uncle Quatre, can I call you Uncle Cat?"

"Sure," Quatre laughed. Gabe's face lit up. "The fish are just around the corner."

"Oh boy!" the toddler went rocketing down the cobblestone path before either adult could say anything more.

"Careful, Gabriel!"

"He's fast," Quatre pointed out with a grin.

"He doesn't get out as much as he should," Heero sighed. "We travel so much."

"You're doing your best, Heero. That's all you can do."

"Well, after this next invention goes through, we should be able to settle down. Actually, I was thinking about coming back to Earth."

"Really?" Quatre asked, amazed. "I suppose our hearts never really left it, did they? We all felt so trapped living in the colonies. Here on Earth, everything changed."

"I think it's the best home Gabriel could have. We've got apartments in each of the colony clusters. It makes it more comfortable when we travel. I want him to have a home, though."

"Well, I can help you look for a house. There's a lot for sale near where I live. We could be neighbors, Heero!"

They rounded the corner and saw Gabe squatting near the edge of the koi pond. He was leaning so far forward it looked as if he were about to topple in.

"Gabriel!" Heero called. Gabe straightened and dashed over to his father, who stooped to hug him.

"Daddy, those are the most biggest fish I ever seen!"

"Saw, Gabe," Heero corrected. "How big are they?"

"This big!" Gabe stretched his hands as wide as he could. Heero raised and eyebrow and looked up at Quatre. Quatre smiled kindly.

"These koi are very old," Quatre told Gabe. "Maybe even a hundred years old. Would you like to feed them?"

"Oh boy! Can I, Uncle Cat?" Quatre pulled some of the leftover toast from breakfast out of his pocket. He crumpled up a corner and deposited the crumbs in the little boy's eager hands.

"Watch me, Daddy!" Gabe exclaimed. He flung the crumbs out over the pond, jumping up and down as the mammoth fish rose to the surface to eat them. They spent an hour by the pond. Gabe cocked his head this way and that, trying to examine the koi from every angle. Heero let him take of his shoes and dangle his feet in the water. The fish boldly approached him to nibble at his toes, which delighted him beyond compare.

"You know," Heero said to Quatre as they sat on a bench watching Gabe's antics, "I think I we would like a house in your neighborhood."

Quatre just smiled. He expected the company would be very refreshing.

* * *

**So... this is the latest installment. I hope you all feel completely lost as to where this is going and what's going on, but at the same time like you're learning more with each chapter. Either way, let me know how it's going for you.**

**Love it? Hate it? Do you think I made Hilde look terrible (if so, sorry. I'm a Hilde fan, really)? Do you think Gabe is inconsistent? Do you think Quatre is in the right place? How about Cathy? I have a lot of doubts about Cathy.**

**Review, thanks!**

**-Izzy**


	5. Hide and Seek

**A Classic Case of Irony**

**by IsabelleRose**

* * *

_Last time-- Heero and the other Gundam pilots spend some time in the music room catching up and learning Cathy's favorite dance. After Wufei pries a little too deeply into Heero's past, fights break out between everyone. Gabriel sleeps obliviously through all of this. At breakfast the next morning, everyone is tense, but Quatre and Heero are uplifted by Gabe and they take a walk out to the koi pond, where Heero tells Quatre he's interested in property on Earth._

**Chapter 5: Hide and Seek**

Wufei paced the hall irritably. It was a long hall, so that made the task more interesting, but it wasn't helping. He didn't know who he was mad at anymore. He'd been mad at Hilde for upsetting Heero. He'd been mad at Cathy for taking Hilde's side. He'd been mad at Heero for blowing up. He'd been mad at Relena for locking herself in her room. He'd even yelled at Quatre. He felt as if he was mad at everyone but none of his anger felt justified.

It wasn't that he didn't wonder about Heero. They all wondered. He felt, as Quatre did, that Heero needed time, though. The pilots had been through a lot together. They had traveled different paths during the war, but they had all ended at the same destination. After everything they'd been through, these fights seemed petty.

Wufei knew that Heero was a good man. He also knew that Relena was a good woman. He didn't understand why they had to be pitted against one another. He didn't know whether he ought to get involved or keep quiet. Who should he approach- Heero or Relena? Relena was more likely to talk, of the two. She'd always been open with the pilots. However, Wufei definitely knew Heero better, even if Heero kept his mouth obstinately shut. He'd feel more comfortable talking to him.

As he pivoted in place and made to retrace his steps back the opposite way for the nth time, Wufei heard the sound of small feet moving quickly. Gabriel dashed through a door and straight into Wufei's brooding thoughts.

"Whoa! What's the rush?" Wufei called as Gabe nearly collided with an expensive vase.

"Uncle Wu!"

"Uncle Wu?" Wufei repeated skeptically. Gabriel didn't notice his repulsed expression. He ran to his L5 uncle excitedly.

"Uncle Wu, hide me!"

"Hide you?"

"Hide me!" the toddler repeated. "Hurry!"

"What are we hiding from?" Wufei asked, eyebrow raised. He suspected the child may have created some mischief.

"Uncle Duo. Hide-and-go-seek, Uncle Wu. Don't you know?"

Wufei could honestly say he didn't know. Being the intelligent individual he was, however, he pieced together the meaning of both the words "hide" and "seek", and extracted the general idea.

"Alright, in here," Wufei told the boy grimly. He wrenched open the door to the library, ushering the boy inside and looked both ways down the hall before shutting the door behind them. The library was a massive room filled with books of every genre and era. Its towering shelves made it formidable, but it's countless welcoming armchairs and sofas warmed the space. Wufei sized the room up in a glance: there weren't many places to hide.

"How much time do we have?" he asked Gabe. He considered making a break for a room with better hiding spots.

"To the count of one hundred," Gabe told him confidently.

"That doesn't give us much time, does it?"

"A hundred is a really big number," Gabe protested.

"Not at a numeral per second," Wufei pointed out. Gabe scrunched up his face. Wufei scooped the child up into his arms and dashed to the back of the library, past all the shelves and towering windows. He set Gabe down and pushed aside the fire screen. He opened the large glass doors to the fireplace and stuck his head inside, assessing the degree of soot and the amount of space available.

"Hide here," Wufei told him. "If you rub the ashes on your arms and face, it'll make you harder to see. This could take a while, do you want a book?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, get in, I'll be back," Wufei commanded urgently. Gabe obediently crawled into the spacious fireplace and began covering himself in ash. Wufei returned quickly with a large picture book and a thick volume for himself.

"Are you coming in, Uncle Wu?" Gabe asked as Wufei crouched before him.

"I am. Make room," Wufei told Gabe. He obligingly scooted to the side, but there was plenty of room for both of them. Wufei covered himself in ash, too. He pulled the screen back into place to mask them better. Grinning at one another, Wufei and Gabe both opened their books and began to read.

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_Much later…_

"I swear, Maxwell-" Heero threatened, pinning his braided friend to the wall.

"Heero, you're over-reacting!" Hilde cried, fists clenched.

"Heero, man, I didn't think!"

"That's right, you didn't," Heero growled. He pulled back a fist, ready to pummel his once-friend. Hilde jumped onto his back, prepared to defend her husband to the death. Just then, Trowa and Quatre rounded the corner together, talking quietly. The scene before them put a damper on their conversation.

"Heero! What's going on?" Quatre cried. They rushed to his side. Quatre gently pried Hilde away from Heero and held her shoulders in both comfort and restraint.

"This worthless, brainless-"

"What happened?" Trowa asked calmly, placing a hand on Heero's shoulder. His cool indifference seemed to curb Heero's raging emotions. Heero released his death grip on Duo and stepped back to face the one-eyed pilot.

"Quatre and I took Gabriel out to see the koi pond. After we came back, we had lunch, then Gabe wanted to work on his puzzle. I let him go back to the room alone because he knows his way. We went to the music room and talked. When I finally went back to the room, Gabe wasn't there." Heero paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"He ran into Duo and I fighting in the hall," Hilde explained quickly. "He wanted to know what was wrong. He offered to play a game with us to help cheer us up."

"I was all riled up," Duo told them. "Not much in the mood for games, but I didn't want to just tell him to scram, see? So I told him I'd play hide-and-seek with him."

Heero glared at Duo. Hilde wrung her hands. Duo hung his head. Trowa and Quatre looked blankly at one another.

"So?" Trowa demanded.

"That was two hours ago," Heero told them. Quatre's hand immediately rose to clutch his shirtfront in distress.

"Gabriel's been missing since _then_?"

"I forgot!" Duo cried. "I was in the middle of a fight and it wasn't until Heero came marching down the hallway looking like death itself that I remembered."

Heero still looked incredibly like the Grim Reaper as he glared death threats at the guilty party.

"He's not in the room?" Quatre asked hopefully.

"I've looked. I tore the entire place apart."

"Did you check the gardens?" Quatre asked urgently. Heero's eyes looked like a wild animal's. Without answering, he bolted down the hallway. The color drained out of Duo's face.

"Which way did he go?" Trowa asked the couple. "Where did he go when you told him to hide?"

"I don't know," Hilde choked. She clutched Duo's arm as her knees went weak.

"Alright. Nobody panic. We need to fan out and find him immediately," Duo decided. "Quatre, go find the others. Hilde and I will check all the rooms on this floor. Trowa, you take the floor below- that's where Gabe and Heero's room is. Check every nook and cranny. No teacup goes unturned. We'll meet back in the kitchen in one hour."

The group split immediately, Hilde taking one side of the hall, Duo taking the other. Trowa ran for the stairs and Quatre dashed towards the other guest's quarters. Zechs' room was nearest. Quatre pounded on the door.

"What is it?" Zechs asked, looking worried. Quatre's expression doubled his heart rate.

"Gabe's gone missing. Duo told him he'd play hide-and-seek but he never went to find him and it's been two hours. Nobody has seen him. We're searching the house. Heero's in the garden. Can you take the rooms in the North wing?"

"Yes, of course," Zechs responded. He stepped into the hallway and snapped his door shut behind him. He anxiously made his way to the North wing.

"Kitchen. One hour," Quatre shouted over his shoulder as he went pounding down the hall in the opposite direction, towards Cathy's room. She wasn't there. Quatre checked the dining room and kitchen. No sign. He finally found her in the music room, sitting at the piano. When she heard the news, she nearly knocked the piano bench over in her hurry to start the search.

Next, he sought Relena. She was in her room, as he'd expected. He could hear her hesitating to open the door. He impatiently shifted from one foot to another and resisted the urge to break the door down.

"What is it, Quatre?" she asked softly, surprise evident in her wide eyes.

"Gabriel. He's missing. He was hiding and we can't find him. Heero's checking the gardens. We're afraid… the koi pond… we spent all morning there…."

"What?" Relena cried. Before he knew what was happening, Quatre found himself shoved aside. Relena sprinted down the hallway towards Heero and Gabe's room.

"Relena!" Quatre called. She didn't stop. Confused, he chased her down the corridor and down the next staircase. When he followed her into the room, he found her sitting on the missing boy's bed, a look of shock on her face. The room was a mess. It looked like a horrific battle had taken place. Heero had indeed torn the room apart in search of his son.

"Relena," he tried again. She looked up at him. "He's not in here," Quatre told her gently.

"I-" Relena didn't seem to be able to finish her sentence.

"Heero checked here first," Quatre elaborated. "He's in the gardens now. If Gabe's there, he'll find him. Zechs is searching the North wing. Trowa is searching on this floor; Hilde and Duo are above us. Cathy is checking all the central rooms. You and I had better check the third floor. Come on."

Relena nodded but didn't say a word. She followed him out of the room and up the stairs.

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It seemed like no ground had been covered by the time they had to meet in the kitchen. Nobody had found Gabe. Heero hadn't come in from the garden. Nobody had seen Wufei.

"Let's just get straight back to work," Duo decided. They all agreed and returned to their assigned locations.

"Damn this enormous place," Hilde muttered under her breath. She looked like she'd been close to tears for the past hour.

"We'll find him, babe, don't worry."

"Relena, are you okay?" Hilde asked her friend, who looked equally shaken. Relena clenched her fists.

"There's nothing more precious than a child's life," she murmured.

"He's alive," Quatre reassured. Relena nodded resolutely.

"Of course he is," she agreed. She looked as if any other news would kill her.

But the hours ticked by, and room after room turned out empty. The sun was beginning to set, now. The search party had looked in and under every bed. They had searched behind curtains, in cupboards, and closets. They'd looked through the linens and in vases. Each room seemed to offer a plethora of hiding spots for a small child. None of those spots yielded the boy, though. The party was losing hope.

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"Where's Wufei?" Duo demanded, slamming his fist on the counter. They were all convened in the kitchen again. "Why the hell haven't we seen him, either?"

"Maybe they're together," Cathy offered hopefully. That wasn't something they'd considered before.

"Wouldn't that make them easier to find?" Hilde asked dolefully. "If Wufei was with him, they'd need a bigger, more obvious hiding spot."

"Wufei wouldn't hide with Gabe all afternoon, would he?" Zechs asked, speaking to the practicality of the matter. "Surely he'd realize that somebody would be worried by now."

"What if he's fallen asleep?" Cathy countered. She knew from Sally that Wufei was a light sleeper if a noise disturbed him, but in the quiet he could sleep for hours. It had helped him survive the war.

"Gabe, too?" Duo questioned dubiously.

"He's just a child. No way he could wait this long. Why hasn't he come out yet?" Hilde asked.

"Maybe he's stuck," Trowa said. "One of our contortionists got stuck in a basket, once. He had no trouble getting in, but he couldn't unbend himself to get back out. We had to cut the basket apart."

"Yeah!" Cathy recalled.

"But where could he be that we haven't checked?" Quatre questioned.

"Assuming he's with Wufei," Relena said determinedly, "we'd just have to go from where we saw Wufei last, right?"

"I haven't seen him since lunch time," Trowa said. Nobody looked convinced by the Wufei theory except Relena.

"Which is right when Gabe went missing," Relena pointed out. She had a fire in her eyes. "Where was he?"

"He was pacing the hall," Trowa said. "From the kitchen to the library, back and forth."

"Cathy checked the library," Hilde pointed out. Cathy looked uncertain, though.

"I'm going to look again," Relena decided. She was gone in an instant. Quatre glanced around and decided to follow.

They stepped into the library. It didn't look promising. The shelves were crammed with books, leaving no spaces for a child to hide. The books were most sparse on the uppermost shelves, and those were at least twenty feet above the floor. Relena looked beneath the armchairs and sofas. Quatre looked behind the curtains. The room was pretty desolate. Relena and Quatre exchanged a discouraged glance.

"Curse the sphere!" Relena shouted suddenly. "Where is he?"

A loud crash sounded behind them. Relena jumped and the both whirled to see a cloud of soot rise from fireplace. The fire screen lay overturned on the floor. Relena covered her mouth to better breathe, but screamed as a black figure rose from the dark billows.

"Wufei! Where have you been?" Quatre cried.

"Right here. What's the time?" Wufei asked urgently, but didn't wait for an answer. He cursed and crouched back down in front of the fireplace. Relena and Quatre mirrored his actions. Relena gasped. There, peaceful as can be, was Gabriel, curled up in a sooty ball, fast asleep.

"What the hell kind of game was he pulling?" Wufei demanded, turning on the two adults next to him. Gabe stirred and Wufei immediately curbed his anger. He reached forward and tucked the little boy into his arms.

"How?" Quatre wanted to know. Wufei shook his head and stormed across the library, bundle tucked closely to his chest. This was the last time he would be playing hide-and-seek.

"Where's Heero?"

"In the garden," Relena recalled nervously.

"Get him. Now. Have you been looking all day?"

"Yes," Quatre answered. Wufei restrained himself from spewing a string of curses. Relena looked desperately at Quatre. He understood. "I'll go get Heero. Everything is okay, now. I know you've been especially worried. You should go lay down."

She didn't respond. Instead, she turned and disappeared down the corridor.

"Take him back to their room," Quatre suggested. "Heero and I will meet you there. Gabe needs a hot bath and a warm bed."

Wufei nodded. Quatre darted down the hall and out into the garden. The grounds were massive and he had no idea where Heero could be. He sprinted down the main path.

"Heero!" he called. The desperate man appeared before him in a matter of seconds, dripping wet. "You've been searching all the pools?" Quatre asked, feeling his heart breaking. He came to his senses quickly. "We found him- Relena did. He's perfectly fine. He fell asleep."

"Where is he?"

"In your room."

They ran together back towards the mansion. Heero could feel his chest loosening a little more with each footstep. He burst into the room and heard bathwater running. In the adjoining bathroom, a black Wufei was bent over the tub, testing the temperature of the water. Gabe stood next to him in a matching color.

"Daddy!"

Heero crushed his son into an embrace, surprising the little boy. His heart was beating faster than it had ever beaten in his life. He screwed his eyes shut and took deep breaths.

"Wufei," Quatre said. "Let's leave them alone."

They crept away from the reunited family and headed back to the kitchen to let the others know. Wufei's face was screwed up in clear agony. He was furious with himself for falling asleep and not realizing how much time had passed. As they stepped into the kitchen, questions flooded them. Quatre bustled around the kitchen, making hot tea for everyone.

"Where were you?"

"Why didn't you come out?"

"Were you with Gabe?"

"Did you fall asleep?"

"What happened?"

Quatre pushed Wufei onto one of the stools and pressed the hot tea into his hands. Wufei stubbornly stared into his cup, unmoving. Quatre cupped Wufei's hands and raised them to his lips. Wufei drank and once he'd sipped the hot tea, he let out a huge sigh. Quatre turned on the rest of the crowd.

"Leave him be. Take your tea to the dining room and drink it there. I'll come tell you what happened in a moment. Everyone just relax."

Leaving no room for protest, he ushered the group through the door out to the dining room. They protested a little, but finally Quatre and Wufei were left alone in the kitchen.

"Wufei," Quatre began. Wufei glared at him.

"If you're going to tell me what happened wasn't my fault and that I shouldn't feel badly, don't waste your breath, Quatre. You saw the look on Heero's face. He would have died if something happened to that boy."

"Nothing _did_ happen to Gabriel. That may be partly due to the fact that you were with him this whole time. I imagine the boy is probably just as stubborn as Heero. Do you think that if he'd been hiding alone he would have come out?"

"If he'd been hiding alone, he wouldn't have hid so well!"

"You don't know that for fact," Quatre countered. "Duo was never playing with Gabe. He forgot that he'd even said anything to Gabe until he saw Heero."

Wufei stared into his empty cup. Quatre filled it again and bid him to drink. Wufei didn't look convinced.

"I shouldn't have fallen asleep," Wufei muttered. "I should have gotten up and gone looking for Duo- found out what the wait was about."

"You're just as stubborn as Heero. I'm sure you didn't want to give up so easily."

"No, but I still should have. I'm the adult."

"Was Gabe upset?" Quatre asked softly.

"No. He- we had fun," Wufei admitted. "We were reading together, and then after a while I let him tell me stories. The time went by a lot faster than I realized. We didn't fall asleep until I started reading to him from my book on micro engineering."

"Everything is back to normal. No harm done. Why don't you go wash the soot off of yourself. I'll make a late dinner. Nobody has eaten."

"I'll help you cook," Wufei promised. He set his teacup on the counter and went to bathe. Quatre let out a very relieved breath as he watched his friend leave. Gathering himself, he exited to the dining room to fill the others in.

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Gabriel gibbered incessantly about his Uncle Wu as Heero scrubbed him down in the bathtub. Heero hid his amusement behind a scowl. He didn't know whether to be furious with his son for hiding all day without telling him or just relieved that he wasn't at the bottom of the koi pond. He settled for a little bit of both.

"We even played tic-tac-toe in the ashes, Daddy!" Gabe said, grinning at his father.

"Gabe," Heero said sternly. Gabe pouted.

"How was I s'posed to know Uncle Duo was so bad at finding?"

"You should have asked me before you started any games with Uncle Duo."

"But!"

"No buts. Everyone was worried about you. You are my world, Gabe. I wouldn't know what to do...."

"I'm sorry, Daddy," he muttered. Heero stopped scrubbing for a second. He glanced at his downcast son and the dark bath water. Gabe understood the point, he didn't need to make the boy suffer.

"You're forgiven. I love you."

"I love you, too," Gabe responded with a slight sniffle. Heero resumed scrubbing, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"So, did Uncle Wu snore?" He tickled the little boy under the chin. Gabe giggled. Heero smiled, finishing up the boy's bath and wrapping him in a fluffy towel again. After a short story, he curled up in bed next to the sleeping child. Heero didn't normally go to bed at the same time as his son, but he'd had a long, emotionally exhausting day. He watched the little angel sleep as thoughts swirled around his head.

From the sound of it, he owed Relena a thanks.

* * *

_Ah, the suspense! Will Heero approach Relena? Will all your questions finally be answered? Probably not, but hey, it could happen._

_So, frankly, I wasn't 100% satisfied with this chapter, but I was sick of looking at it, so I added a sentence or two and decided to post. I'm sorry if it's terrible. I assure you the next one will be better. :)_

_Please submit thoughts/feedback/critique. Thanks!_


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